The goal of SARSAS is to return salmon and steelhead runs to the entire fifty mile length of the Auburn Ravine and to create the conditions so the salmon can spawn in the City of Auburn in Auburn School Park Preserve.
So doing is a project that will take much money, work and volunteer hours so if you want to help, sign up on the Comment section of any Posting. Auburn, California, is located in Placer County approximately thirty-five miles east of Sacramento on Highway 80. Please help us.

II. SARSAS Philosophy – We believe by working together with many individuals and agencies at the same table we can make progress working collaboratively to make Auburn Ravine navigable for anadromous fishes.

III. Monday, July 26 - Confirmed speakers are Brett Storey, Placer County Senior Management Analyst -- “The Middle Fork and Joint Powers Authority: What They Are and How They Work”.

Monday, September, 27, Confirmed speaker is Mike Brenner, District Conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation Service, “What NRCS Can Do for SARSAS and the General Public”.

Monday, October 25, 2010, Confirmed speaker is Robert Hane, “Creating Your Own Fish Runs and Habitat” – Robert owns and operates an environmentally friendly Christmas Tree Farm on the North Ravine, a tributary of the Auburn Ravine.

Monday, August 23, Confirmed speaker is Katherine Hart, Chairperson of the California Valley Water Quality Control Board -- “How the Board Protects California’s Water Quality” and Colin Bear, Auburn Journal, “Salmon in the Classroom”.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Ron Ott may soon hold the key to the Auburn Ravine restoration in his hands.

After months of tireless research, Ott is creating a unique book on the Auburn Ravine which lists every dam, diversion and pump from Auburn to Verona on the Sacramento River.

“Ron’s book will allow us to completely restore the Auburn Ravine to salmon and steelhead runs for spawning and return to the Pacific for maturation,” said Jack Sanchez, president of SARSAS (Save Auburn Ravine Salmon and Steelhead). “His work is absolutely key to what we’re doing.”

Salmon have been a major part of Ott’s life. Growing up on the Sacramento River, Ott went on to receive three advanced degrees from Stanford, which included specialties in hydrology, hydraulics and water resources.

He has since worked nationwide on stream, river and lake restoration projects for fisheries for 43 years.

“One of the most exciting parts of my career happened when I was jogging through a neighborhood in Seattle. I turned to go by a stream that was no bigger than 6-feet-by-3-feet, and I saw hundreds of salmon thrashing and spawning,” Ott said. “It was just incredible to see nature flourishing within the confines of an urban community.”

Ott’s work seeks to counter the damage created by human diversions, such as flashboards and dams, which are set to divert water flow during certain times of the year. Salmon and steelhead are caught in the diverted water flow, and end up dying, often on the banks of farmland.

Illustrated with photographs, the book describes the maximum flows and owners of each pump, diversion and dam, cost of screening, and more extensive details.

With the information supplied by Ott, SARSAS will work to implement fish ladders and screens throughout the Ravine to divert the salmon and steelhead back along their desired route to the ocean.

“So far, SARSAS has been successful in phase one of its mission, which is to remove diversions from the Sacramento area to the city of Lincoln,” Sanchez said. “Ron’s really boosting up phase II, which runs from Auburn to the Sacramento River.”

If all goes as planned, Auburn will be one of two cities in California to see salmon spawn within city limits.

“Seeing salmon spawn and travel upstream in large numbers is very uplifting for the community,” Ott said. “In a way, the health of a salmon run can reflect the health of society.”

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Get to know

Ron Ott

Profession:

• Started his career working for the California Department of Water Resources

• Joined major international consulting firm CH2M HILL and served as Director of Environmental Sciences, followed by Director of Water Resources and lastly the Director in Integrated Water Management.

• Fish Facility Coordinator for the California Bay Delta Program (CALFED) for 12 years